[9] Somaliland in general, is home to numerous such archaeological sites and megalithic structures, with similar rock art found at Haadh, Gudmo Biyo Cas, Dhambalin, Dhagah Maroodi and numerous other sites, while ancient edifices are, among others, found at Sheikh, Aw-Barkhadle, Ancient Amud, Heis, Maydh, Haylan, Qa’ableh, Qombo'ul and El Ayo.

The town was one of many temporary local centers that the Dervish movement operated from, led by the Mad Mullah's second in command Haji Sudi of the Adan Madoba subclan of the Habr Je'lo.

[13] Ararsame ma haybsado Nugaal hogashadii ceele Hanas iyo abaar kulu adoo habaqle soo guurey Caynaba hadhuub kama dartaan hoga kaliileede Ka hulleele Hagar aadankii hoobalayn jiraye The Ararsame do not (even dare to) inquire about Nugaal and watering at the wells In the heat of the sun, suffering fierce thirst, you trudged along wearily You do not even take one vessel of water from Aynaba in the heat of the kaliil The Hagar Aadan who used to chant (to their camels, while watering them) have moved out from there The Isaaq clan expanded into traditional Dhulbahante territory to the east.

The clan boundary between the Habr Je'lo and the Dhulbahante during the 19th century was traditionally in Laba Garday, a pass in the Buurdhaab mountain chain situated between War Idaad and Wadamago.

[15] The Habr Je'lo took advantage of the Dhulbahante's weakness after the defeat of the Dervish movement to conquer much of their important wells and grazing grounds.

[16][17] The Habr Je'lo subsequently expanded into and beyond the Saraar plain and the Ain Valley (which includes Aynaba[18]), pushing the Dhulbahante southwards towards the Haud:[19] Thus under pressure from the Habar Tol Ja'lo expanding to their north, the Dulbahante claim that formerly their north-western boundary was the Sarar Plain now grazed mainly by Habar Tol Ja'lo.

Those Dulbahante lineages which formerly grazed in the Ain region and which were accordingly called Reer ‘Aymeed today pasture their stock mainly in the scrub-lands of the northern Hand where they are known as ‘people of the bush’ (Reer Oodeed).One of the most significant military and territorial gains was the Habr Je'lo conquest of the strategic town of Aynaba during a tribal war between the Habr Je'lo and the Dhulbahante in 1954-55.

[20][21] At the start of the 20th century Aynaba and its surroundings were inhabited by the Dhulbahante, who controlled the important wells there, which was seized by the Habr Je'lo alongside the town itself.

[22] The immediate cause of the war was camel rustling in Erigavo District (today Sanaag region) perpetrated by the famous Dhulbahante warrior, Ali Guun.

The death of Ali Guun in Ban 'Ade, a plain between Garadag and Hudun turned the tide against the Dhulbahante, with the actual war later on being fought in an area further south of Las Anod.

The Soviet Union, which at the time maintained strategic relations with the Siad Barre government, airlifted some 90,000 people from the devastated regions of Aynaba and the towns of Beer and Hobyo.

[30] According to a 2016 document from EASO, and 2018 docment by Markus Virgil Hoehne, a lecturer at the Leipzig University, Aynabo is primarily inhabited by the Habr Je'lo subclan of Isaaq.